Playing the final version offline?

[roguetrooper 2]

So for the Alpha you are forced to be online to play A3 even in SP/editor mode (can only be started by logging into your steam account). Will there be a box version that can be bought physically in a real-world-shop? On x pages you can read x+1 different versions.

That steam crap annoys me (concerning the final version, of course an Alpha is not available in another way). I don't want to be forced to be online even for the SP/editor mode, and especially I don't want to log into the steam account (just created for A3!) each time I start A3.

[DnA 5162]

You can run Steam in Offline mode and it will work fine for SP especially. Any boxed copy distributed by our partners will at least require you to update and activate once.

[chortles 263]

For what it's worth, I had a case where I got knocked offline while playing a Showcase -- the game kept running normally, although the Steam client had lost connection (i.e. no Friends list availability).

[Mattressi 10]

You can run Steam in Offline mode and it will work fine for SP especially. Any boxed copy distributed by our partners will at least require you to update and activate once.

Steam offline mode only works for 30 days after your last online login. For people who go without internet (or reliable enough internet to log in to Steam - Steam's client updates are way too big for dial-up users to get through in order to log in, so they have to wait until they're somewhere with good internet to log in) for a long time, this means they can't play Steam games.

Please, BIS devs, give us an indefinite offline mode. One which doesn't need to run through Steam, which doesn't need to be connected every so many days/weeks. Then I will buy Arma 3. I will not pay more than a few dollars for games which I cannot play whenever I want (providing I've got all of the necessary equipment - internet being entirely unnecessary for a SP game).

[chortles 263]

Last I checked, Steamworks integration pretty much makes any non-Steam binary impossible since you'd be requiring a separate .exe?

[5133p39 16]

Yes, its a conspiracy, its about new world order! They want to enslave us all through Steam!

[5133p39 16]

Also, i heard that Steam's EULA was actually written by the devil himself.

[caldrin 1]

Steam offline mode only works for 30 days after your last online login. For people who go without internet (or reliable enough internet to log in to Steam - Steam's client updates are way too big for dial-up users to get through in order to log in, so they have to wait until they're somewhere with good internet to log in) for a long time, this means they can't play Steam games.

Please, BIS devs, give us an indefinite offline mode. One which doesn't need to run through Steam, which doesn't need to be connected every so many days/weeks. Then I will buy Arma 3. I will not pay more than a few dollars for games which I cannot play whenever I want (providing I've got all of the necessary equipment - internet being entirely unnecessary for a SP game).

Dial up? That does not exist anymore.. haha.

BTW you dont have to run the steam updates you can just cancel them so that is not an excuse.. So what if every 30 days you need to connect to a server. .thats nothng even if somehow you still only have dial up where you live thats not the end of the world..

The game is on steam deal with it.. fi you cant then dont buy it simple as that.

[Mattressi 10]

Dial up? That does not exist anymore.. haha.

Yes it does. In countries other than western Europe and the US, dial up is very common. In rural areas, dial up is often the only connection available and even rural areas closer to cities might only be able to get extremely expensive wireless broadband.

BTW you dont have to run the steam updates you can just cancel them so that is not an excuse

I've tried this when offline and it simply closes Steam. Online it hasn't been a problem for me. Perhaps it was just a (repeatable) crash when offline?

.. So what if every 30 days you need to connect to a server. .thats nothng

You appear to have an inability to imagine people in circumstances other than your own. People travel abroad with only a decent gaming laptop, people live or work in areas with no internet access, people move houses/countries, etc. To these people, 30 days is not nothing. "Play a different game during that time", you might say. If all games required me to go online every 30 days, there would be no new games to play. Thus, I will complain about every new game which requires this, lest one day I have no games which can be played offline.

even if somehow you still only have dial up where you live thats not the end of the world..

It's not the end of the world at all, but it makes it extremely difficult to play the (singleplayer) game you paid for. Likewise, my comments and a lack of my $32 purchase are not the end of the world - I was never claiming anything to be the end of the world.

The game is on steam deal with it.. fi you cant then dont buy it simple as that.

So, after all that, you've come back and told me to do what I've already said I would do? As I said in the post you quoted; if BIS do not give an option for indefinite offline play, I will not buy it. It is as simple as that. I've voiced my concern, stated what will happen and now it's up to them. Do you have a problem with any of this?

Edited March 8, 2013 by Placebo

[Placebo 31]

Our forum rules are very clear when it comes to discussions pertaining to hacking/cracking/piracy/copy protection etc. etc. ie it's not acceptable, so don't do it here please.

The original poster has an answer from the lead designer of Arma3, I see absolutely no point leaving this thread open to be spammed and trolled by those wishing to push their agendas (and I meant that from both the pro and anti Steam perspective).